Vikings switch hotels

Jan. 3, 2013

Visiting NFL teams normally stay at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in downtown Appleton. Not this time, however, as the hotel was booked this Friday. The Vikings play the Packers in a playoff game Saturday at 7 p.m. / Post-Crescent file photo

A few weeks ago, Jay Schumerth, the Paper Valley’s senior general manager, was keeping his fingers crossed for a bye week because his hotel was booked with wrestling fans for a tournament this weekend.

The bye week didn’t happen and the Vikings had to find beds elsewhere, but Schumerth couldn’t say where.

“I am prohibited contractually with the Minnesota Vikings from sharing the location of their away hotel,” he said.

Neenah Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson, however, confirmed that he’s been working with the Holiday Inn Neenah Riverwalk in downtown Neenah to coordinate security for the football players, who will take on the Green Bay Packers at 7 p.m. Saturday in a playoff game at Lambeau Field.

“The hotel security takes a very strong and active role in keeping the order,” Wilkinson said. “Our role is site security and making sure everything is peaceful at the hotel. I don’t anticipate large crowds.”

According to NFL rules, teams have to stay on one property.

In the past when there’s been a booking conflict, teams have stayed at the Holiday Inn Manitowoc or the Valley Inn, which is now the Holiday Inn Neenah Riverwalk. Neither of the hotel managers returned phone calls.

An online request for a room at the Neenah Holiday Inn showed the hotel didn’t have any rooms available tonight, when the Vikings are due to arrive.

Wilkinson said the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department is primarily responsible for keeping visiting teams secure since they land at Outagamie County Regional Airport. This time, Winnebago County and Neenah police were brought in because of the hotel change.

The Vikings are scheduled to arrive at Outagamie County Regional Airport at 4:45 p.m. today.

Autograph seekers, unfortunately, won’t get a glimpse of the players.

“They step right off the plane onto the bus,” said the airport’s spokeswoman, Kim Sippola.